An American backpacker stranded in the Philippines during the coronavirus pandemic has spent four months living like a local, staying with a family and helping to renovate their house.<br /><br />Dustin Borglin from Michigan was visiting a remote village in Toledo, Cebu province, when the government closed buses and trains to prevent the spread of the virus.<br /><br />The nearest hotel was several miles away from the village and there was no public transport to take him to the city so a kind family let him to stay with them for free until the Covid-19 lockdown is lifted.<br /><br />Dustin has been staying with Raymund Balundoy's family since March and become used to the rural way of life.<br /><br />During his four-month stay at the family's house, he has learned how to gather firewood for cooking, gather honey, and look for food in the forests.<br /><br />He said: "I was grateful when they offered me their home. I thought it was only going to be for a week or two but it ended up being over four months."<br /><br />As a way to show gratitude, Dustin helped the family renovate their home so they can be more comfortable living there.<br /><br />He said he noticed that most of the people in the village do not have proper toilets in their homes so he felt he had to do something.<br /><br />Footage taken on June 21 shows Dustin, the family, and the workers, do the finishing touches to their upgraded house.<br /><br />The backpacker has also been buying some groceries to give away to Raymund's neighbours.<br /><br />He added: "My traveling is a little mix of immersing in with the locals and learning how they live while I get to give back to them as well.''<br /><br />The Philippines has recorded 33,069 cases of Covid-19 and 1,212 deaths, leading to some of the most stringent lockdown, curfew and quarantine measures in the world.
